


A Hero Forsaken

by SincerelySerotonin



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Back during my college days, Evil Link, F/M, Good thing I didn't just copy the work like I'd been planning., Started this all the way back in 2015, Thought about it the other day and was like "Oh yeah. I wanna bring that back.", good guy Ganondorf., villain Link
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:40:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23441059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SincerelySerotonin/pseuds/SincerelySerotonin
Summary: Hyrule was once thought blessed by the gods and home of the golden goddesses, but it's era of glory is now long gone. Now a tyrant king rules the land with an iron fist. Submit or perish - that's simply how he rules. The true heiress to the throne is still out there though, hiding and travelling and doing her best to survive. Her goal is simple: reclaim her kingdom or die trying.Currently on hiatus.
Relationships: Ganondorf/Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Others to be added as story progresses - Relationship
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	A Hero Forsaken

**Author's Note:**

> An attempt at revamping a story idea I started writing all the way back in 2015. My writing style has changed a lot since then, thank goodness.
> 
> If you're interested in reading the original attempt at this story, the link is below:  
> https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11468500/1/A-Hero-Forsaken

It wasn’t often that it rained in the Gerudo province, but it seemed to be just her luck that thunder sounded as she walked through the great canyons. The former princess’s blue eyes darted back and forth as she searched for a place she could spend the night. Finally, her gaze fell upon a small cavern. 

Bokoblins sat around its mouth , chattering away amongst themselves and roasting some sort of meat above a fire. 

_Well, that handles dinner,_ Zelda thought with a small smile.

She was already in enough pain from being on the run for so long. The added strain from hunting was the last thing she needed right now. But she had to clear the Bokoblins before they spotted her.

The setting sun provided just enough light for her to ready her bow, a beautifully-crafted metal weapon she acquired over the years. It served as her weapon of choice and kept her out of harm’s way… most of the time.

She fired an arrow at the Bokoblin keeping watch on a wooden tower, just barely hitting him in the head. One down, three to go. Except there was a problem. But his allies noticed the falling corpse.

_Should have been more careful._

They glanced around warily before going for their weapons. She took that chance to pick off another. Two to go.

Then they spotted her. One grabbed the first’s bow and arrows and started firing. An arrow struck her shoulder, and she was quick to pull it out. Another grazed her cheek. The other ‘blin grabbed a wooden club and came after her.

Fighting two at once should have been something she was used to by now. _Should have_ , that is. Unfortunately, she tried to avoid combat wherever possible. She hadn’t practiced enough, and her aching limbs only served to slow her and dull her senses.

She was clumsy. 

Though she had originally intended to take down the one wielding the club first, the one firing arrows made it hard to focus on any ‘blin but him. So Zelda barely dodged an arrow and launched a few of her own. They found their mark. 

Only one left.

His club slammed into her back, knocking the breath out of her and sending her tumbling forwards. She barely had time to roll onto her back with all the swings, but somehow she managed.

“Say goodnight.”

She readied her arrow with practiced speed and launched a final, finishing blow, emptying out her quiver. But that arrow was all it took. The Bokoblin camp was officially hers.

Something wet landed on her cheek, and Zelda’s gaze turned towards the sky. So the rain was finally here. She could set up camp within the cave. Their fire remained untouched, their meal just a little burnt. 

She quickly went to work retrieving as many arrows as she could and putting them in her quiver. The monsters had some rupees in pouches hanging from their belts, so she took them too. Not like they’d be needing them anymore.

Finally, when her legs felt about ready to go numb and give out on her, she stumbled to the cave and collapsed near the fire. She pulled the seared meat from its stake and bit into it. 

“Took too long,” she muttered to herself. 

Had this been years ago, she would have sent the meat back with only one look, then hired a new chef. But that was then, and this was now. She greedily bit into the meat - beef, perhaps? - until all that was left was the grease on her hands.

She wiped them on the tight Sheikah slacks Impa had insisted she wear when they were still travelling together. How long had it been since then? Since she last saw her nanny?

To keep her safe, they’d said she was Impa’s niece, a travelling half-Sheikah girl who knew too little of the world. At least some of that was true. Few knew the truth; it was better that way. 

And yet word still managed to spread that tyrant. Her brows knit together at the thought of him. They’d been raised together, as an orphaned knight and princess of the land. How could he have done this, done any of this? He brought her once proud kingdom to its knees, killed her family on her coronation day, and took over as the “true ruler” of the land. 

_Link… How dare you…?_

But he had dared. Just when she and Impa thought they were finally rid of pursuit and chose to settle in Kakariko, he came on them at full force. His knights had been waiting for them. He even had monsters doing his bidding!

In the end, Impa stayed back so Zelda could get away. She didn’t know if the woman was alive or not. She prayed for the former, though wasn’t sure if the golden goddesses could even hear her anymore, or if they ever had been able to hear her.

She tossed the bone into the fire before yawning. Thinking about the past was exhausting. She then smothered the fire with rocks and sand. She wished she could keep it burning all night long to keep her warm, but it was dangerous. Fire could spread, could burn her. Zelda absent-mindedly touched her right cheek at the thought. She’d learned that the hard way.

Finally, she pulled a blanket from her bag and settled on the cold desert sand, using her pack as a pillow. Her eyes slowly closed as she fell asleep to the sound of rain outside the cave.

_Better sleep while I can…_

She woke some few hours later to the sound of voices coming closer. She had become a light sleeper over the years. It was the only way to stay safe.

She crouched in the shadows near the back of the small cavern, readying her bow just in case the Bokoblins had some friends. But she didn’t hear bare feet coming towards her hiding place. No, she heard the hooves of horses.

That didn’t rule out the ‘blin option though. It had only been a few times, but she had seen Bokoblins ride horses. The voices, though, sounded distinctly humanoid, though in a language she didn’t understand.

_Gerudo then…_

That was even worse. She had met with the desert people and their king many times over the years, but she had no kind words for them, only carefully chosen diplomatic proposals. They were a greedy folk - thieves to the core

And their king was the worst of all. There was no doubt that the golden-eyed man was the reincarnation of pure evil. He was probably working with Link to bring her back to Hyrule Castle. She refused to let that happen.

Sure enough, three figures entered the cave, muttering to themselves about something Zelda didn’t understand. They were all tall and very muscular from what the princess could make out, but one stood taller and stronger than the others. 

She thought perhaps this one was just a very strong woman, a captain of the guard perhaps. But the moonlight illuminated their back just enough for Zelda to realize the truth.

_Of course the king of evil would be here._

The golden goddesses really didn’t seem to favor Zelda these days. It was one trial after the other. She wondered if the heroes of old had to go through this level of nonsense. She really doubted that was the case.

She fired a warning arrow. It whizzed past the king’s cheek. He hissed in sudden pain. Looks like she hadn’t aimed quite enough to the left. Was she getting rusty?

His guards readied their scimitars. Ganondorf just placed his hand on the hilt of his large blade. He said something in a commanding tone. The first time was in a language she didn’t understand, but the next was clearly Hylian.

“Come out with your hands up. Then maybe I won’t cut you down where you stand.”

Sure enough, resorting to intimidation. Such was his way, she supposed. But he looked ready to actually pull her out of the darkness, so she knew it wasn’t an entirely empty threat.

She pulled her mask over her face and slowly approached, never once letting her bow lower.

“I advise you turn back,” she said, in as authoritative a tone as she could muster. Now that was certainly something she lacked practice with.

“Do you realize who you’re talking to?” one of the women asked. “Before you stands the king of Gerudo, Ganondorf Dragmire!”

Zelda’s eyes narrowed. “Oh, I know _exactly_ who he is.” And she had no plans of bowing down and giving in. He’d just as easily see her shipped back to Link. No way she’d let that happen.

He took a step closer. “The real question is - who are you?”

One thing she didn’t account for was the glow of the Triforce giving away her identity. Zelda muttered a curse under her breath as her left hand began to glow with the Triforce of Wisdom. Likewise, Ganondorf’s hand glowed with his own piece of the Triforce, the Triforce of Power.

“No-” he said softly. “It can’t be.”

“But it is,” she replied, cold and to the point. 

“They told us you were dead, that you died at the coronation.” 

Those words took her by surprise. Were Ganondorf truly working with Link, he would have known she was alive. That didn’t make her trust him any more though.

Ganondorf hesitated, brows knitting together in confusion. “I heard rumors you were still alive. I just thought that was to keep hope kindled.”

Zelda rolled her eyes. If this was an act, he was truly quite the performer. “But I am alive. And I won’t allow you… to take me back…”

Though her words had been meant as a confident show of defiance, her body felt weak. Her legs gave out on her and she crumpled to the ground. Her bow fell out of her hand.

“I’m not taking you back anywhere,” the king insisted.

He waited a moment, as if seeing if she would get back up. She didn’t. She couldn’t find the strength. So he approached, kneeling down before her.

“Are you alright?” he asked, reaching out a hand to her. He actually had the gall to sound concerned.

She tried to slap the hand away, but could barely move to rest her hand on his wrist. 

“I’m fine,” she said. “And I don’t need your help.”

But he wasn’t swayed so easily. He moved her hand away, down to her lap, before reaching up to touch her forehead. It was damp with sweat, but it was so cold out in the desert night. 

“You’re burning up!” 

Without so much as asking, he scooped her up into his arms. 

“R-release me at… at once…”

Zelda felt less and less focused. Had she really gotten sick so easily? It seemed more and more likely the goddesses had some sort of grudge against her.

“No can do. I’m taking you back with me after all.”

“But I… I can’t-”

He cut her off. “You can, and you will.”

Zelda vision grew dim. After all this time, she couldn’t believe she’d gotten caught. And she only had her weak, fainting self to blame.

She barely heard his next words.

“Don’t worry.”

But she was.


End file.
